People will be able to go on-line to find out more about the Christian faith, thanks to a new project.

Clergymen have decided to bring churches in Coventry into the 21st century by creating an in-depth teaching course on the internet.

The project - which is still 18 months from completion - is the latest step by churches to encourage more people to worship.

News of the scheme came just hours after the UK's first broadcast of a Sunday morning church service on the internet.

The Rev Paul Simmonds, a research director with Forward Vision, one of the partners behind the project, said it was "absolutely vital" for churches to move with the times and make full use of the world wide web.

He said: "It will be for anybody who is interested in finding out more about the Christian faith and developing their understanding of it.

"So many people now get out of bed and check their e-mails. People live their lives with their computer now.

"The internet opens up a whole new area for people to explore and it is one of those things that the church must make more use of."

The site is being established by the Anglican diocese that covers Coventry, the Bible Reading Fellowship and media experts, Forward Vision.

The project is expected to go live in 2005.

Meanwhile, church leaders in Coventry have backed St Philip and St James' Church in Bath which broadcast its Sunday morning service live on the internet - the first time it has ever happened in the UK.

A virtual congregation of 500 people logged on to the service, leading to organisers hailing the event as a success.

The Rev Peter Watkins, vicar at St Martin's Church, in Green Lane, Finham, said: "Anything that makes churches accessible to people is good."

He added: "I would hope that an online service would fulfil a need for the elderly and disabled in future years. It is very important to move with the times but people also want to have the security of knowing that the message will not be altered."